Hell has frozen over!!! You CIO?

So this post is about CIO (Crying it out). I know I'm probably gonna get a lot of crap about it but let me just explain please.

So Hell must have frozen over because when it comes to CIO that's the last thing they'd do in their life time.

Kendall is an AMAZING sleeper... at night. It's wondering, joyus, exciting and every other word you can think of. Starting around 10 weeks she used to get fussy around 7:45pm, so with that we'd bathe her, swaddler her and give her a baa (her bottle). She'd instantly fall asleep after a few burps and we were without a problem put her down in her bed... for the night! She'd wake up around 6-7am, eat then go down for another 1-2 hours when she was then redy to get up and play.
As of last week she gets fussy around 6:30 so our routine has now switched to acommedate her new schedule. The wonderful part? She still sleeps till about 6-7am, eats then goes back down for another 1-2 hours. So she for some reason made her self gain an extra hour of sleep.

I know, I know... her sleep schedule WILL change. You don't need to tell me. This is my 2nd baby and I know they go crazy out of the blue and decide they hate sleep all over again just like they are a newborn again. It sucks and I'm not looking forward to it. But for now, I am living it up and loving every second of it!

So where's the CIO coming into play you may ask?
Kendall DOES NOT nap! For the life of me, I cannot get this child to take a nap. I mean a REAL nap, even if it was for a hour I'd be happy.

She takes little cat naps here & there for maybe 20 minutes in her bouncer of 30 minutes IF she's laying on my chest. But to put her in her bed and nap, HA, yeah right.

So I began feeding her and just laying her down. Screw that, she needs sleep and I don't care. She usually gives me a hard time and really cires for about 10-15 minutes but then she will fall asleep and then I get about 45 minutes uninterupted quietness. This just started to happen about a week ago though.

Do I think it's hurting her emotionally? Um, no, sorry but it's not. This child gets more love then anything in the world. I don't believe you can 'spoil' a baby but if you could then she'd be the definition. She loves cuddles and being held and she laughs even more now a days then she did before.

My whole thing is, it's not like I'm sitting here listening to her cry for a hour or more. It's 15 minutes TOPS and she falls asleep. I'd rather her cry a bit then be cranky all day because she slept for tiny 10-20 minute naps.
Her attitude has completely changed and I think she's a much happier baby. Plus, I'm a much happier mommy. If her 45 minute nap means that I can nap too then of course I am much happier. On the days that I don't feel like sleeping myself then I do housework.
I don't go a day without cleaning this house and when she's sleeping it makes it a lot easier of course.

So to all you CIO haters out there, I understand if it doesn't work for you, but it's working for us.
Today, she only cried for 5 minutes before she fell asleep so I think it's working and of course I'm hoping that the crying will completely stop and she will just know when it's nap time.

Baby Rock Apparel - Review & Giveaway

Dont get me wrong, I'm a girly girl... I love flowers, hearts, bows... you name it. So when it comes to dressing up my girls they have to look so adorable.

Every now and then I like fun funky clothes that no one ever has, because lets face it, buying a onesie at Target... every baby on the block is going to have that same onesie.

Once I found out I was having a girl I Googled "cool baby girl clothes" and Baby Rock Apparel popped up.

Baby Rock Apparel is a fun, hip children's clothes company with an edge. You'll find hats, onesies, hoodies, T-shirts, and best of all... plain black onesies/shirts/pants (which are hard to come by)!

With shirts like "Big Sis: Cherish & Protect" and "Lil Sis: Spoil & Love"

The funny "Boob Man" onsie

And if your a old band loving family then get your fix with bands like The Who, Grateful Dead, Kiss, AC/DC, Madonna, Motley Crue, & of course The Beatles.

With sizes up to 8T (from what I saw) your kid can be hip & stylish from newborn to tween!

We were sent the "Sorry boys... I only date rock star" onesie and I must say... Kendall is soo freakin' cute in it!

For the next THREE months, use the code DoubleDuty and you can get 15% off your entire order. Baby Rock Apparel is so affordable in the first place so I definitely suggest using this amazing discount while you still can!

ecoSTORE USA Review

It’s no secret that I LOVE trying new green, healthy products out for my family! So, when ecoSTORE USA came to me & asked if I would test out some of their products I was MORE than happy to do so!
So who or what is ecoSTORE USA?

ecoSTORE NZ was founded more than 15 years ago by Melanie and Malcolm Rands from their home in an eco village in New Zealand.

All of the families that lived in the farm based eco village shared a commitment to organic growing and healthy living, making this an ideal environment in which a young, environmentally conscious business could thrive. Each household in the village was responsible for their own waste water, which quickly highlighted the problems caused by using regular supermarket cleaning products that relied heavily on cheap, petroleum-based, synthetic ingredients.

Faced with the challenge of protecting the pristine rural waterways of the eco village, Malcolm Rands began to research and seek expert help from scientists to develop household cleaning products using plant-based ingredients that would biodegrade safely and quickly. Achieving his goal, he eliminated the need to use toxic chemicals, leaving the eco villages water pure. His goal was more than accomplished as the product line of this home-based business began to grow, and an exciting future began to unfold.

ecoSTORE USA has formulated its products without toxic petrochemicals, phosphates, nitrates, chlorine, ammonia, enzymes, synthetic perfumes, coloring or dyes, optical whiteners/brighteners or chemical preservatives. Instead, ecoSTORE USA uses sustainable ingredients derived from plants and minerals, producing safer products that work equally as effectively as those that are chemical-based. Customers anecdotally have reported that, after using ecostore USA laundry products to wash clothes and linens, children’s eczema and dermatitis have disappeared, while allergies and asthma symptoms have decreased.

ecoSTORE USA guarantees its products:
• are plant- and/or mineral-based and free of nasty chemicals (No nasty chemicals™)
• use safer ingredients from renewable resources
• are formulated with your health in mind
• are safely super-concentrated
• meet the highest environmental standards
• have not been tested on animals
• are GE free (free of genetically-engineered products)
• are packaged in recyclable packaging
So where to find ecoSTORE USA?
ecosSTORE USA can be found online at www.ecostoreusa.com AND in exclusively in all 185 Meijer supercenters in five states. You can also connect with this amazing company online on Twitter, Facebook and their Blog.
I was generously sent two of there products. The first product is there hypoallergenic pet shampoo. Our dog Saydie has very sensitive skin and after a lot of vet visits and trials with different products we discovered that she's hypoallergenic. We usually buy her *very* expensive shampoos and with sometimes 3 bathes a week that can get very crazy on the bank account, but I'm sure the pet stores love us!

I love the Soothing Hypoallergenic Shampoo and I know Saydie does too. It works just as well as the expensive brand we used to buy (if not BETTER!). Another bonus, i leaves her smelling like honey & almonds, I just wanna eat her up!

Made with only a select handful of ingredients that include water, chamomile, and aloe vera it's been so great on her skin. The itching has 100% stopped, and now her coat is growing back so much more fuller and smoother.
At only $9.50 for a 12oz bottle, it's a ton more affordable then the previous brands we've been buying.
The ecoStore USA is mild enough for frequent uses and is great on dogs and cats (puppies & kittens over 6 weeks).
The other product I was lucky enough to test out was the Pure Oxygen Whitener for the laundry.

The Pure Oxygen Whitener contains oil of citrus and Coconut and other plant-based ingredients. Ecomommas will love the way this product brightens and cleans baby’s clothes and does not contain any harsh chemicals that could irritate delicate skin.($12 for a whopping 35.3 ounce size) . Safe on whites and colors alike, this is definitely a safe alternative to traditional bleach.
I use baby laundry detergent on Kendall's clothes and I love knowing that the Pure Oxygen Whitener is something I can add to her laundry. It makes me feel so much better knowing clothes that touch her sensitive skin don't have chemicals in them that I can't even pronounce.
Again, like all the ecoSTORE usa product the Pure Oxygen Whitenerdoesn't have any nasty chemicals. No toxic petrochemicals, no phosphates, no nitrates, no chlorine, no EDTA, no optical whiteners & no dyes or synthetic perfumes... just nice perfectly white and bright clothes!

Order these and other great eco friendly products directly from the ecoSTORE USA website!

**No other monetary compensation was received for this review - I was sent the product(s) to review at no cost to me. The views and opinions are strictly my own. Your results and views may be different.**

Dapple Review

I can be a very obsessive clean freak. Recently I realized there aren't many "baby friendly" products tailored to the things babies put in their mouths.

The people at Dapple have realized the same thing and have created natural baby products.

"It became our mission to find a better way – and create a line of products that were natural and safe for our babies, but also specifically targeted to clean the unique messes they leave behind. With the help and hard work of several experienced pediatricians and a team of seasoned green chemists, Dapple was born. Today, Dapple offers a full line of cleaners tailor-made for households with young children."

Dapple offers: dish liquid, Dishwasher powder, Toy cleaner spray & wipes, and detergent.

All Dapple of the natural cleaner products use natural-based ingredients that are environmentally-safe, biodegradable, and free of parabens, SLES, and phthalates, as well as synthetic dyes or fragrances.

I was given the Dapple toy cleaner and a sample of the Dapple dish liquid.

Since we are into the cold/flu season I knew I'd be using the toy cleaner like crazy! As soon as we got the cleaner I went a little nuts and started cleaning everything that Makenna owns.

There was no odor or smell associated with them and after cleaning them I felt safe to let my daughter immediately put them in her mouth {cant be clean for to long ya know}! And to my surprise the wipes didn't just make the toys clean it made them look brand new. Some of the toys we cleaned had sticky handles or pieces and once we cleaned them with the Toy wipes they weren't sticky anymore.But the that wasn't the best part.. It was easy to clean them. It stickiness just seemed to disappear without much work. We now carry these wipes in our diaper bag so when the normal toy throwing happens I can clean them and feel safe giving them back to her.

With all the scary things in the news about chemicals harming our children its nice to know there's a company out there creating a product with babies in mind! Every Saturday we do a deep clean house cleaning day so every week I use the Dapple Toy cleaner on all of Makenna & Kendall's toys.

I was also given a little sample of Dapple's Dish Liquid its another one of their organic baby products that make cleaning and keeping your child safe easier. I absolutely hate putting Kendall's bottles in the dishwasher & actually since about April I've been trying to be very eco and money savvy and I hardly ever use the dishwasher in the first place (except when we have family over or there is just a massive amount of dishes). Even so, before recieving the Dapple dish soap I wasn't very excited about having to use my regular dish liquid to clean Kendall's bottles with. Who knows what kind of crazy chemicals I'm using to clean the very same bottle she's about to drink my precious milk from!

To really test out the products cleaning ability I specifically left a bottle on the counter once Kendall was done drinking it. No matter how much she tries there is always a little bit of milk left over in bottles of course, so after two days (yes... TWO!) with the bottle top close I decided it was time. Because these soaps are tailored to remove things like dried up milk I figured I'd give it a try. To my surprise no hard scrubbing was necessary and there so absolutly no odor left in the bottle once I was done washing it, and better yet there was NO FILM on them after it had dried.

I love Dapple & the fact that they thought ot make organic baby products. I can definitely breathe a little easier knowing these products are natural cleaners and completely safe for my daughters. I would highly recommend these and any of the other Dapple products to every parent out there. Can you ever be too concious of the things in your home and the things your kids come in contact with on a daily basis? I think not :)

You can purchase both these items in bulk for amazing prices! The Toy Cleaner is just $41.94 for 6 (16.9 oz) bottles and the Dish Liquid is also $41.94 for a case of 6 {16.9 oz) bottles.
These are also available individually at select retail locations like Babies R Us!

**No other monetary compensation was received for this review - I was sent the product(s) to review at no cost to me. The views and opinions are strictly my own. Your results and views may be different.

Tummy Tub Review & Giveaway!

**CLOSED**

Winner: Random.org #267 Lara Hart.

((Winner has been emailed. She has 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen.))

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I was fascinated with the Tummy Tub the first time I saw it, as I think everyone is.

The Tummy Tub is a non-tradition baby bath tub. It simulates the a familiar fetal position that comforts babies. Babies from 3 to 35 pounds can benefit from these features!

The Tummy Tub is of course made to mimic the womb so baby's feel secure and they can experience the buoyancy that they felt in the womb.

Kendall definitely LOVED how lightweight she felt in the tub. She instantly started bouncing up and down in the water. It was so funny to watch her.

Here's a short video my hubby made!

Some great features include:

•Compact size. Some infant tubs are as large as your bathroom tub, the Tummy Tub has a small footprint so it won’t take over your bathroom and it would be easy to travel with it.

•Anti-skid base and low center of gravity helps prevent it from tipping.

•The design helps calm colicky babies.

We've used it as storage when we're visiting my parents I knew we'd be there late. We never want Kendall to miss her bath time (so she stays on schedule) so if we're visiting friends & family we will give her a bath there. Like I was saying, since it's not in use when we're in the car I'll store her baby wash, wash cloths, lotion and hair brush in the tub.

It took us some practice to get our technique down but once we had it, it's been smooth sailing. I think it was just Kendall & I were more use to the traditional laying down bath tubs that we also use that made us go through some trial & error periods with the Tummy Tub.

The best position I've found is placing the tub on the bathroom floor and I use Makenna's stool to sit on. It helps me be a little higher but not too high and it doesn't hurt my back this way. I can't wait to get the 2-Step Stool. Which is a stand for the tub and then it converts into a step stool or chair once your child grows up a bit.

Also, since Kendall can't sit on her own we use less water (even though there's a "fill line") so I can support her easier without the water getting too close to her face since she cant stand water touching her above the chest.

What really helped us [and can help you too!] was the Baby Meet World blog. They have very valuable information and tips to better use your Tummy Tub. This includes a video library, FAQ's, photos, & blog posts.

Believe me, once we got the bath time down it's definitely helped with Kendall's colicky-ness. We do bath time every night around 8-8:30 and then it's bed time. We wash Kendall in her Tummy Tub then let her hang out for about 15 minutes. Once lotioned, dressed and swaddled she is off to dream land in just a mere couple minutes! It's amazing how much the tub has changed out nightly routine.

Studies have shown that babies only need to be bathed 2-3 times a week so to not mess up our routine we let Kendall soak in the tub so she'll still experience the relaxation.

If you're an eco-friendly parent (or even if you're not!), this is a perfect tub for you! It’s smooth, and solid…no sharp edges, no cold steel, no need for lining it. Best of all it requires only a small amount water…so not only is highly economical, and energy efficient plus the water stays warmer longer and covers more of your baby than traditional baby tubs do. It’s also free of all phthalates, BPA, lead, and other dangerous chemicals.

Whether you have a fussy baby who hates his traditional bathes or you want to experience bathing a whole new way, The Tummy Tub is definitely a must have for all new & experienced parents alike.

You can guy the Tummy Tub on Amazon for $34.99 (original priced at $49.99)

WIN your very own Tummy Tub right now!

(Please read my tutorial on "How To Enter My Giveaways" if you are unsure about anything)

(PS:: PLEASE be sure to include your email in EVERY entry!! I need to contact you if you win!)

(Mandatory entry MUST be completed FIRST for any other entry to count!!!)

 1 entry - Follow me on Google Friend Connect AND Visit Tummy Tub USA & tell me something else great about the tub!

(Please leave a separate comment for each additional entry.) 

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1 entry – Tweet about this giveaway (Leave ur tweet hyperlink, please!!!):

#Win the momma friendly original TUMMY TUB from @mommaJWoww19 @Tummytub http://bit.ly/9kWuoF (11/2) #giveaway #baby #ecofriendly

(can RT tweet 3 times a day w/ at least a hour in between then comment again!)

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Then leave a separate comment each time.)

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**No other monetary compensation was received for this review - I was sent the product(s) to review at no cost to me. The views and opinions are strictly my own. Your results and views may be different.

Giveaway is open to USA ONLY. Giveaway will close on November 2nd, 2010 at 9pm EST! Random.org will be used to choose the winner who will then have 48 hours to respond to my email before a new winner is chosen.**

#BloggerFail

Yeah, talk about big time #bloggerfail on my part. I've been super busy  that I've had absolutly ZERO time to do anything, & that even includes tweeting.

First DH & I decided to do some redecorating in a big way. In 1 week we painted Makenna's room. Her room used to be a dark, hunter green color (dont ask... she wanted it for some reason) but I decided it was time for pink (but a light suttle pink) so it could match her Princess bedding & everything better.

Next task: our bedroom! It was a light baby blue since blue is DH's favorite color but I was sick of it so we went more neutral and did a beige. Plus, we got new bedding, new area rug, & got a smaller bed. I was sick of our King size taking up lots of space, so now we have a full size (Hello, more cuddling!), also I took some pictures that we on the walls from around the house and put them in our room instead since they had brown in them.

Was that all? Nope, DH put some red mulch around the whole house...

THEN (lol, yes we did more), the same day as painting our room and the mulch yard work, we went to Oktoberfest (Friday & Saturday actually). There was lots of food, music and "Falling of the Leaves" which is just paper leaves that they make fall from the light posts to kinda, welcome Fall in type thing. It's awesome.

So I promise to get back on top of my blogging, giveaways and reviews.